Not Quite An Angel
by Inori Pelagski
Summary: Abraham Sapien hasn't been the same since Nuala sacrificed her life to stop her brother Nuada. Hellboy, Liz, and Abe have gone back to the BPRD but no longer do any work for the bureau. Manning convinces them to go on one mission because he can't handle it, where they meet someone who is not quite human, or an angel. HB/Liz, possible Abe/OC
1. Two Figures In The Dunbar

**Hello my freaky fellows! This is my first ever Hellboy Fanfic, but my eighth fanfic. I'll try to keep this intro brief. Theme is Tomorrow (Imperfect Version by Aesthetic Perfection, for the ending it's Big Bad Wolf by Aesthetic Perfection. I don't own the characters of Hellboy, but I do own my OC. Enjoy!**

**Liz**

I curled up next to HB for his warmth, smiling when he gently rested his stone hand on my shoulder. "Abe's been really down in the dumps since Nuala's death." I murmured, watching our friend read at one of the tables, a blue book that I've never seen before.

"Yeah, he'll come out eventually." HB replied, pulling me closer to him to steal a kiss, I relented then curled up next to him as numerous agents started streaming into the library, followed by Manning. "What's going on?" Hellboy boomed, getting to his feet, I followed suit and looked at the agents.

They're all covered in injuries, some fatal, some not. They look like marks left by a sword or claws. "The BPRD needs your assistance." Manning snapped from tending to one of the agents, Clay, who had a nasty looking wound on his torso. "We quit working for you remember? We still live here, but we don't work for you anymore." I pointed out and pushed my hair out of my eyes and glanced over at Abe who had gathered his supplies and is tending to the injured agents.

"I know that Miss Sherman, but this….this we can't handle. We need your help." Manning replied looking every inch the fifty year old man he is, bags under his weary eyes. "What's the entity doing this? And where?" HB sighed, folding his arms and Manning smiled briefly, looking grateful almost.

"We don't know, we can't get close enough to get a look at it before it attacks. Although, it does leave feathers if we manage to land a hit." Manning quickly explained, probably because we could change our minds at any moment and refuse to help him.

"Some kind of a bird demon? We'll help you out. Take us to it." Abe called from dressing Clay's wound, and Manning nodded his head quickly "Alright, get your gear, I'll have a couple agents come along and have the truck brought around the front." Manning complied and darted away far faster than I ever would have guessed he could have.

"Liz, will you st-"HB, if you're going to ask me to stay here because I'm pregnant you are out of your mind. I'm coming with you, end of story." I interrupted, flames manifests briefly on my hands before I quickly extinguished them.

He chuckled, cupping my chin with his humanish hand before kissing me softly, tasting of cloves and cigar smoke "Alright love, let's go get our toys to play. Brother Blue, you staying or coming?" he called and I glanced over at Abe, he was watching us with a sort of forlorn expression "Yes, I'll come along." He said before walking away, probably to get his gear.

"Shall we?" HB asked and I smiled and nodded, accepting his offered hand, even though it's stone.

**Abe**

It's more painful to watch Red and Liz together than I expected, probably because they're very intimate, very clearly in love. I ran my fingers over the only framed photo in my room.

When Nuala was here at the BPRD, Liz took a picture of her when she was reading. Besides the books that I can pick her presence up on, it's the only memento I have of her.

I fear Liz and Red have began to see through my front, and know that everyday I'm in pain, that I don't know what I'm living for. But there is nothing I can do but continue on, and pray that I find a reason to live again.

"You know, you shouldn't dwell on the past." Liz called from the doorway, all geared up, breaking me out of my reverie. "There's nothing you could have done, stop torturing yourself Abe." She pleaded, her eyes locked on mine.

"I'm doing nothing of the sort." I lied and Liz shook her head, I knew she wouldn't buy it "You are too Abe, grab your gear and come on. The rest of us are already, including HB." She said and slipped out the door, leaving me alone again.

I sighed and put on my breathing apparatus, pulled on my locator belt and strapped on my gun. I left my room, meeting the others in the library. "Everybody's here, let's go." Manning said and we began to walk to the truck, reaching it much sooner than I expected.

We all piled into the truck, Liz went in the front with Manning and the two agents, Red and I went in the back as usual. "You ready Abe?" Red asked once the truck came to a stop at the Dunbar hotel, I looked around outside and nodded "Yes, let's go take care of this problem of Manning's." I answered as I adjusted the dials on the apparatus as the door to the truck opened, Manning, Liz, and the two agents waiting patiently outside.

We entered the hotel, it was dead silent, and blood stains covered the ground, most likely the blood of the agents that were here only an hour ago. "It's too quiet." Liz murmured, the ghost of a shiver in her voice.

"_DID I NOT TELL YOU TO LEAVE ME TO MY HUNT!"_ a deep, male voice hissed from somewhere above us, Red drew out the Samitarian, and pointed it at the general direction of the voice "Why don't you come out where we can see you?" He called and a whispering sound echoed throughout the lobby, followed by the lights that we turned on to go out, the glass shattering into pieces.

Everyone muttered curses, fumbling for their flashlights, but I stared straight ahead, looking at the strange creature that was watching us with a slight smirk on its lips. It was roughly the same size as red, but large bird-like wings rested by its sides like a strange coat.

Manning flicked the beam of his flashlight around, illuminating the creature's face for a split second before it spread its wings and charged forward, stabbing his hand so he dropped the light before vanishing into the shadows as Red and Liz shot at it, missing narrowly.

"Manning, you and the agents should go back outside before you get killed." I instructed as Liz cast away her light and let flames enwrap her hands, acting as her light instead. I glanced back as they quickly followed my instructions and left the hotel, leaving the three of us to deal with the creature.

**Nora**

I watched from up on the roof of the apartment next to the Dunbar hotel, watching bored as the old man and two men and black scurried outside. The old one's injured, his hand's bleeding.

Looks like from up here that he got stabbed. That leaves the other three and the traitor inside the hotel. I bit back the burn the thirst that rose up from the wind carrying the scent of the old one's blood up to me. I don't have time to feed now, I'll feed later once the traitor's dead.

I spread out my massive gold-black wings, and leapt off of the building, angling my wings to carry me to the roof of the hotel. I landed fairly quietly, but the old wood groaned in protest under my weight. I pulled my katana out of its scabbard from the crook on my back between my wings. I stood and bashed in the glass window on the roof and jumped inside, the darkness of the hotel swallowing me up silently.

**Abe**

The creature had driven us upstairs, slashing at us with its sword at every opportunity. A crashing sound of glass being broken from above me made me glance up, and see a second darkened figure descend, long dark hair trailing behind as the figure fell, knocking the creature to the ground and pinning it down, the figure's katana at the creature's throat.

The faint light from Liz's flames allowed me to get a look at the second figure's face. It's a woman, with long hair and massive wings that are black with a brilliant gold tinge to their hue. The woman's scowling at the creature, pulling its head back and pressing her katana against its throat hard enough for it to draw blood.

"I've got you now traitor, any last words?" she hissed in a musical voice, seeming to sing each word despite the harsh threat and anger in her eyes. The light's not good enough to see what color they are.

"_YES, I DO AS A MATTER OF FACT. UP YOURS YOU STUPID BITCH." _the creature snarled and threw the woman backwards, making her fly back several feet before she snapped her wings open to catch the air.

The creature stood, rubbing its faintly bleeding throat and glaring at the woman as she lighted down on the ground and came rushing forward, her katana raised to attack it.

The creature seemed to forget our presence and began to attack the woman, quickly remembering our presence as Red shot at it, nailing its right wing, shattering the bone with the force of the bullet. No doubt one of his extreme armor penetrating rounds.

The creature hissed and lashed backwards with its good wing, clipping Liz and sending her flying. Red dropped the Samitarian and rushed to check on her, leaving me to figure out how to hit the creature without getting within range of its wings.

I raised my gun to fire as the woman kicked the creature back, making it fly into me. I hit the ground with in pinning me, realizing I was here it raised its sword and began to bring it down, its booted foot pinning me to the ground as I tried desperately to escape.

I closed my eyes and used my physic abilities to create a piercing sound that the creature only would hear in its mind. It worked and it dropped to the ground making an unearthly wail that made my blood freeze, the woman came running forward "Today you die traitor Sojo!" she snarled as brought her sword up in an arc, beheading the creature as it threw its sword at her in defense, it went through her stomach and threw her to the ground.

**Nora**

I stared at Sojo's sword embedded in my stomach, coughing up a mouthful of blood, intensifying my thirst. The blue fish-man stared at me as I sank to my knees, I lifted my head weakly to check that the traitor was truly dead as a black fog swam behind my eyes.

"It seems." I said and coughed up another mouthful of my own blood as I pulled the sword out slowly so my wounds could heal themselves "That I miscalculated." I finished coughing again, my dark ruby blood staining the worn wood floor in front of me.

I teetered and dropped Sojo's sword, falling to the ground, but something stopped me. I opened my eyes wearily and saw the strange blue man's face inches from my own. I blinked and gave in to the sleep that waited as my wounds began to knit themselves together.

**So, what'd you think? If you have any questions, just send in reviews. Next chapter will be up soon, updates will depend on my workload at school and the seven other stories I have. Until next time!**


	2. Nora Wakes

**Thanks to Flint and Feather to your review, In the future I promise to make it easier to understand who's talking. Theme is Blow (deconstructed version) by Kesha. Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Hellboy**_**, but my OC is mine, along with the plot of this story.**

**Nora**

I'm floating in a sort of black sea, and I can hear voices faintly. I tried to open my eyes but they wouldn't obey my command. I tried again and heard a voice; this time not garbled "Look! She moved, I think she's coming to!" a female voice said loudly, making my head hurt like it had been struck with a hammer.

Desperate to see, I tried again, this time my eyes opened but the light above me was harsh, blinding me temporarily. "Can you hear me?" the woman's voice called again and I looked around trying to find the source, coming to a stop on a pale skinned, dark haired woman with blue eyes.

"Blink twice for yes, once for no." she instructed and since I had nothing else I could do, my body's paralyzed, so I blinked twice. The woman smiled at me and glanced at something just beyond the edge of my vision "Alright, My name's Liz Sherman. My friends and I brought you here because you were injured and needed medical attention. Do you understand?" the woman, Liz explained and I managed to nod my head, feeling the paralysis slowly let go of me.

My hearing's still a bit tinny though, I cleared my throat a few times until they popped and I could hear again. "Can you speak or sit up?" Liz asked and I slowly started to sit up, clutching my head from the pain that rewarded me for moving.

"Alright, you can move, that a good sign." Liz commented getting to her feet and walked closer, making me flinch then wince in pain. I glanced down at my torso and saw the bandage that had seeps of red and brown.

That's right; I got injured when killing Sojo. I'd forgotten. "Abe, I think she may have reopened her wound." Liz called over her shoulder to someone I couldn't quite see. I started to twist to see who it is, but quickly stopped from the spike of pain that ricocheted through my gut.

"I wouldn't move so much just yet." Liz observed and I managed a hoarse laugh "Yeah, me too." I replied, my voice cracking. Liz started at the sound of my voice. "You can speak?" she asked and I rolled my eyes at her "No, you're just hearing things. Yes, I can talk." I answered sarcastically as I stretched my legs out slowly and my arms, checking for any other injuries I might have sustained.

"Where am I exactly?"I asked and Liz flinched slightly "Well, you're in the BPRD." She answered slowly wringing her hands as if she didn't want to tell me. "The Bureau of paranormal research and defense? I've heard of it before." I sighed and shifted my shoulder blades, making sure that my wings were tucked inside my back and not injured.

When I was satisfied that the only injury I had were a few scratches and the sword wound on my torso I flicked my eyes up to Liz and saw the astonished look on her face. "What? Demons do talk you know, pixies are notorious gossips." I stated calmly and heard glass crash to the floor behind me as Liz laughed.

I twisted my head and saw someone duck out of sight very quickly. I raised an eyebrow and turned back to Liz before hoping off of the hospital bed and to my feet. Liz stepped forward to help me as I swayed, but I waved her off as I caught my balance I stood up straight.

"Feel like taking a walk? I'd also like to know your name." Liz asked and I nodded "I'm Nora. Nora Brown." I introduced offering my hand and Liz shook it "Nice to meet you Nora. C'mon, I'll give you a tour." Liz offered, I nodded in response and followed her out of the medical room. Casting a glance back curiously to see if the figure that had ducked out of sight had return, but it hadn't.

A scent, however, was lingering strongly. It's a mix of spearmint and saltwater, and another element I can't quite pin down.

**Abe**

I waited until Liz led the woman, Nora, out of the room to come out of hiding. Nora seemed to know that I was still here when she left; she had lingered on the threshold, studying the room very carefully with her dark golden eyes.

For someone, even someone not human, to withstand a wound of that extent and be back on their feet only three hours later is impressive; even by the standards Red had left.

"What kind of creature are you Nora?" I wondered aloud absentmindedly as I swept up the glass jar I had knocked down earlier, and deposited it into the danger bin meant for broken glass. I heard the sound of approaching footsteps, too heavy to be anyone other than Red.

"I take it that she's up and Liz is showing her around?" Red boomed from the doorway, I finished cleaning up the glass and turned to face my oldest friend "Yes, remarkable how fast she healed. Faster than you even." I replied calmly as I pulled off the latex gloves I still had on from dressing Nora's wound.

"Yeah, she defiantly ain't human." Red retorted, watching me with an expression I couldn't read "What is it Red?" I asked looking him in the eye unblinkingly. "Nothing really, you just seem different somehow." He answered and I folded my arms and stared at him "Different…how?" I challenged and he laughed quietly at me.

"You don't seem so depressed. What happened to ya Abe old buddy?" red retorted and I frowned pondering the question myself "I just don't know Red. I do not know." I answered, turning my back on him to read the report the printer had spat out at me.

Manning was requesting to know about the woman's condition. He must mean Nora, but I'm not the one to ask right now. That would be Liz, or Nora herself.

**Liz**

Nora was fairly quiet while I showed her around, she'd talk if I asked her a question but beyond that she won't really speak. It's like talking to Abe; he's got too much always on his mind, making maintaining a conversation for long periods of times sometimes very frustrating.

"I'm sorry if I'm being too quiet, I'm just a little tired that's all." Nora apologized, her musical voice surprising me. "No it's alright. That sleepiness you're feeling? That's a side effect of the drugs that Abe used to clean your wound. Never seen anything like it before, that should have killed you, but as Abe tended to your wound, it was mending and fixing itself." I explained glancing at Nora curiously.

She's hiding her face behind her veil of hair darker than mine, except for the ruby glints in the color. "All tengus heal like I do. It's not uncommon for our wounds to heal that quickly." Nora quietly replied, her voice was both smooth and rough at the same time, it catches my attention without me meaning to because of its strangely eerie but pretty sound.

"Who's Abe?" she asked, pushing her hair out of her eyes and looking at me as we entered the library, Professor Broom's old office. "Abe's…well, you'll see when you meet him. He's like HB, a bit difficult to explain." I answered carefully and she nodded in understanding, looking about the library with a look I'd seen before.

"Feel free to check the books out, as long as you put them back were you found them, I'm sure Abe won't mind if you borrow them." I offered and she glanced over at me to smile gratefully, and then moved so quickly to a bookshelf that had I not known, I would never have guessed that she's injured.

"Hey Liz." HB boomed from behind me, and I turned around and saw him waving from the doorway, keeping his distance because of Nora. "Can I come in?" he asked and I glanced back at Nora, she had her nose buried in a book already.

"Yeah, Nora, this is HB, HB, this is Nora." I introduced and Nora looked up from the book and at HB, blinking her dark golden eyes in quiet surprise.

**Hellboy**

Nora looked up from the book she was reading, blinking as she stared at me. Not afraid, just surprised. "Nice to meet you." She called, closing the book slowly and standing up from the chair she was sitting in, and doing a slight bow.

"So you're the famous Nora. Whatcha think of the BPRD so far? You and Liz run into Manning yet?" I asked and she laughed quietly and shook her head, scattering her long hair as she did so "No, at least, I don't think so. You're Anung Un Rama aren't you? The one who fought the elven prince Nuada and lived?" she asked and I chuckled at before answering "Yeah that would be me. How'd you know all that?" I asked and she grinned mischievously, her eyes lighting up with a secret.

"You'd be amazed what fairies or pixies will say when drunk." She joked; laughing then winced suddenly, glaring at her bandaged waist. "You okay?" I asked, walking forward to stand beside Liz, draping my right arm around her shoulders lazily as Nora nodded and forced a smile.

"Is there anything to eat around here?" she asked and Liz nodded beside me "there's a mess hall. I don't think you've ever been there HB." Liz answered and glanced at me and I shrugged "I know where it is but I don't eat down there." I replied and she rolled her eyes before turning back to Nora who was putting slight pressure against her stomach and muttering curses in a different language.

"Let's go get you something to eat." Liz said slipping away from me to help Nora walk, who brushed her off "I don't need any help. Just…..just give me a second." Nora explained and closed her eyes.

After a few seconds large black and gold feather wings came out of her back, and she reopened he eyes and slowly stretched her wings before folding them neatly against her back. "It'll help me heal if I don't have them tucked away." She explained with a shrug as we stared at her wings.

"What exactly are you?" I wondered aloud and Nora laughed quietly "I'm a tengu. A bird demon, we look half-human, half-bird." She explained and shrugged again, this time shrugging her wings too.

"Huh. You look similar to an angel, but you're not quite an angel." I said without thinking and she laughed "The day I become and angel will be quite the day. But today, I'd like to get something to eat." She said and I nodded and glanced at Liz who had slipped out the door.

"Are you coming?" Liz called over her shoulder "Yes." Nora and I chorused and followed Liz down the hall. Nora paused suddenly, appearing to be sniffing the air "Something wrong?" I asked and she shook her head "No, it's nothing." She said dismissing me and continuing ahead of me, catching up to Liz, making me wonder what it was that had caught her attention so quickly.

**I've made this one extra long for you guys, hope you liked it. I'll be posting the next chapter soon. Please send in reviews, and feel free to ask me any questions you have. Until next time, Inori out.**


	3. Who's The Telepath?

**I'm back, as promised! I'm sorry I took so long, but this chapter will be twice as long as the normal length. Flint and Feather: I don't have Nora eating in this chapter, though eventually I'll write about that. As for her origin, you'll see soon enough.**

**Theme is Have You Ever Seen The Rain by The Fray. I don't own **_**Hellboy**_** or any music mentioned. Unless I say ahead of time that it's mine, it's not my property.**

"_This is one of the characters reading something aloud."_

**Abe**

I sensed Director Manning approaching long before he came anywhere near me as I reorganized the books in the library because I have added a few new novels to my collection.

"Hey Fish-stick! I thought I asked you for a report on that woman's condition." Manning barked striding up and getting in my face as I turned away from the stacks to face him.

"First, please don't call me that." I began holding up a finger at him, then continued "And second, it's not my place to say. It would do you better to ask Liz, or better yet, the woman herself." I finished and turned my head to look at the newcomer I'd sensed who had opened the library door and squeaked in surprise.

**Nora**

Liz and Hellboy had left me to my own devices after we got something to eat because I asked, so I let my feet lead me back to the library that I had visited earlier. Libraries, regardless of the people inside, or the book's contents, have always comforted me like a socially reclusive person likes being in their own house.

I came upon the library doors and paused as I started to push the door open, hearing a male voice from inside. Cool and flowing like water, but deep, but nowhere as deep as the grumbling baritone of Hellboy. A comforting medium like listening to my father singing a lullaby to me when I was younger.

"First, please don't call me that." The man requested politely "And second, it's not my place to say. It would do you better to ask Liz, or better yet the woman herself." I pushed the door open accidentally because I had leaned too much on the door, I squeaked in surprise as it swung open, revealing me to the two people talking.

The one closest to me is an old man, about fifty, maybe forty human years old, balding and in a black suit like the majority of the agents I've seen her already. Obviously human, I didn't need my nose to tell me that, I could just tell by looking.

The second was no doubt the male speaker I had heard, but what surprised me most wasn't the fact that his skin is blue, but the shape and color of his eyes. Slanted, a rough almond shape, and deep, dark blue eyes with a rim of gold around the iris edge and pupil.

"Um, hello." I greeted and smiled out of habit, trying to distract from the fact I'd been accidentally eavesdropping on their conversation.

"You're the woman that the freaks brought back for medical treatment?" the human man demanded in his rough voice, voices only get rough like that because of smoking cigars. But interestingly enough, I couldn't smell even a hint of cigar smoke on him as I walked closer awkwardly, forgetting I had let me wings out to help speed up my healing abilities.

"Yes, I'm Nora. Nora Brown." I answered and drew my wings into my back, hiding them from their inquisitive stares as I blinked and smiled again, playing nice. "Well, since Fish-stick here-"I've asked you not to call me that." The blue humanoid requested quietly and the human waved off his comment with a flick of his pudgy hand.

"Fish-stick here tended to your wounds but won't speak of how you're doing. Would you mind enlightening me on such Miss Brown?" the man asked and I narrowed my eyes slightly in response, his disregard for the blue man's polite request annoying me slightly.

"If you tell me your name, then I will." I bartered and the man dipped his head "Seems fair enough. I'm Thomas Manning, often called by either Director Manning or just Manning." He answered and I studied Manning, deciding that even if I never returned to the BPRD after I healed, that I would always dislike this human Thomas Manning because of his pompous attitude towards his colleague who made a perfectly polite request.

"My condition is fine, it'll take me a few days to heal before I can return to the outside world, so I'll be relying on your hospitality until then Director Manning." I answered easily reading Manning and figuring out that he likes to be respected, respect that he thinks he deserves. I'm not a telepath, I can just figure out people out easily.

"A polite one for once! A nice change. I'll leave you with Fish-stick; I've got to get back to work. Although it was nice talking with you Miss Brown." Manning declared with a grin, confirming what I had guessed earlier. I dipped my head as goodbye as Manning left, leaving me with the blue one, that didn't like to be called Fish-Stick.

I looked at him curiously, trying to figure out something on him, but for once, my talent at reading people didn't work. I can't get a read on this guy. I sighed and shifted my hair out of my face, watching the blue man from behind my dark veil of hair as I pushed it out of my eyes. "I suppose you're Abe then? Liz mentioned you earlier." I asked and he dipped his head, but didn't speak for a few beats.

"Yes, I'm Abraham Sapien. It's nice to meet you Miss Brown." He introduced offering his hand out to me; I eyed it but shook it regardless of the caution rising up in my gut.

"Please just call me Nora, my sister Anna's Miss Brown, she's a teacher." I requested and shrugged dropping his hand after shaking it. His skin was cool, and slightly damp, but pleasant to touch because of his soft skin.

If my facts are straight, he's an ithcyo sapien, making him a merman.

**Abe**

Nora was hesitant to shake my hand, but did it anyway, smiling all the while. "Please just call me Nora, my sister Anna's Miss Brown, she's a teacher." She requested and shrugged before letting go of my hand. I tilted my head and blinked at this new information, and at the fact I can't get anything off of her but emotion. No thoughts, just the emotion of peace, or perhaps serenity.

"You tended to my wound?" She asked as she walked over to study the titles of the books, glancing over her shoulder, her dark golden eyes watch me like a soft predatory gaze, like those that always have been hunted and mistreated. Liz had eyes like those once, before they were filled with kindness and compassion. Before Hellboy.

"As much as already half-healed wound would allow, yes." I answered watching her curiously, wondering why her mind is like a locked box to me, impenetrable even if I have physical contact. Normally that lets me see through the minds that have better natural defenses, but strangely it doesn't work on Nora.

"Thank you, I wouldn't be healing as fast without your help. You're very good a medicine." Nora commented and I shrugged my shoulders simply "It fell to me to tend to Red's wounds over the years. The big monkey's almost always getting himself hurt. If it's not him, he brings me someone else that's been hurt." I answered running my fingers along the spines of the numerous classical music CD's in my possession, selecting a homemade mix done by Red of my favorites.

"You're speaking of Hellboy? It's confusing the amount of nicknames he has." Nora observed, pulling out the complete works of Poe and began leafing through it. "Mind if I borrow this?" she asked, looking up suddenly, locking her dark golden eyes with my own.

"Of course not, go ahead." I twisted my hand out of habit as I spoke, watching her leaf through it with quiet interest. Nora and Nuala look slightly alike. Both are pale, and have strangely colored eyes. Nora's dark gold are much more intense, and seem to emanate a sort of primal hunger, while Nuala light golden ones resembled the sun on a clear summer's day.

"You're staring." Nora pointed out glancing up at me before looking back down at the book, I felt myself blush at being caught studying this strangely beautiful warrior woman. "My apologies." I replied and Nora dipped her head before reading aloud in her slightly music voice, just barely loud enough for me to hear the words she was saying.

"_Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore-While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 'Tis some visitor' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door- Only this and nothing more.'"_ Nora glanced up suddenly, blushing a very dark red, her eyes on the scrip that she had just read moments ago.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you." Nora apologized, glancing at my face briefly then away just as quickly, making me laugh quietly at the expression on her face. It's the same look Red once sported when I found him writing poetry for Liz.

"It's quite alright Nora, please do keep reading." I assured her and hoped that she would continue reading, before when she had read, her voice started out so softly, then steadily rose, making the poem have a musical quality because of her voice that always seems to sing whatever she says.

Nora nodded as she bit her lip, and then began to read once again "_Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, and each dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;-vainly I had sought to borrow from my books surcease of sorrow-sorrow for the lost Lenore-For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore- Nameless here for evermore."_

Nora stopped, licking her lips to wet them again, glancing up at me as I sat down in a chair next to her to listen to her reading the poem better. Nora shifted, ruffling the feathers on her wings a bit anxiously before continuing.

"_And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain thrilled me-filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; so that now, to the still beating of my heart, I stood repeating: 'Tis some visitor entreating the entrance at my chamber door; some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; This is it and nothing more.'" _ Nora paused again, glancing up at me, as if noticing how close she is seated to me, and I to her.

I could feel the closed off buzz of her mind, like white noise on a TV. I also picked up on Red and Liz, their auras pulsing and coming closer, they're either going to pass the library or enter it.

"_Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, 'Sir,' said I 'or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; but the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, and so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, that I scarce was sure I heard you.'-here I opened wide the chamber door; - Darkness there and nothing more." _Nora coughed a few times to regain her breath, breaking the spell her hypnotic voice had cast over me. Bringing me back to reality and out of the false world her reading of the ancient poem she had read me into.

I turned my head and caught sight of Red and Liz standing by the east side door of the library, watching Nora and myself with grins on their faces. Liz whispered something to Red that I couldn't catch.

**Liz**

I folded into HB's side, and knit my fingers with his as we watched Nora and Abe. Nora's reading a poem aloud, her strange voice making the words hypnotic almost, transporting me into the world of the poem, then back out again as she coughed to clear her throat out.

Abe twisted his head, blinking his large eyes at us, a deep blush settling on his cheeks. Since Abe's skin is blue, he's very blue in the cheeks instead of red in the cheeks like most people.

"They look good together." I murmured into HB's ear, he chuckled in response which alerted Nora to our presence, she too blushed, except she turned a brighter red than HB, probably she's so pale, far paler than I am.

"Um, how long have you been standing there?" Nora asked, hiding her face because of the scarlet on her face. I shrugged and glanced up at HB, he took the hint and spoke "Not long, we did hear your reading though. Not bad for a kid." HB answered and Nora's eyes narrowed a titch, hinting that if she wasn't injured that she would have kicked HB's ass for that comment.

"Please keep reading Nora, you're good at reading poetry and preventing it from becoming boring to listen to." I begged and Nora nodded her head, scanning the book in front of her, looking for where she had left off.

"_Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; but the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and the only word spoken was the whispered word 'Lenore!' this I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, 'Lenore!'-Merely this and nothing more."_

Nora stopped, and touched her throat and swallowed, frowning and glancing around, no doubt for something to drink.

"I'll be right back with something for you to drink." I promised slipping out the door, leaving HB with Abe and Nora.

**Nora**

I watched as Liz departed leaving me with Hellboy and Abe, and I'm still blushing as bright red as Hellboy's skin. Hellboy walked towards where Abe and I are sitting, his heavy motorcycle boots clopping against the linoleum floor none too quietly.

"Hey Nora, if you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" He asked glancing down at the Poe book flipped open before me to _The Raven_. I tilted my head figuring the question harmless so I answered.

"I'm from Kyoto. It's one of the major cities in Japan." I answered and Hellboy laughed "Home of the geishas?" he joked and I nodded, not minding the joke. It's different from the usual rice or anime jabs disguised as jokes.

"Yes actually, Kyoto is where all the geisha were trained in the past. Some of the best geishas were born in Kyoto in fact." I answered and realized very quickly that I'm about to play twenty questions. "Tell you what, you can ask me whatever you like, and I'll answer it truthfully if I can ask you questions of my own and have you answer them truthfully." I bargained and Hellboy dipped his head in agreement.

"Sounds fair, Brother Blue, you playing?" he asked and I turned my head to face Abe as he tilted his head, obviously thinking before nodding his head "Yes, I have a few questions of my own." Abe answered his watery voice still like the ocean to me.

"Alright, I'll go first. How come you killed that guy in the Dunbar?" Hellboy asked and I blinked rolling my eyes too quickly for him to see, I'd figured they'd ask me this.

"I killed Sojo because it was my duty to. Sojo was a traitor to the clan; he was killing humans and feeding on them indiscriminately because he was not chosen to be the next head. He was risking the exposure of our clan, so I was elected to go after him once he fled Japan and came here. I'd finally tracked him down to that hotel yesterday. The rest of the story you know already. I killed him but as he died he managed to injure me." I explained clasping and unclasping my hands as I thought out what I wanted to ask in return.

"Why did Director Manning call you Fish-stick?" I asked directing the question at Abe and he and Hellboy chuckled. "We don't really know why he calls me that. Though it's probably because I call Red on occasion the red monkey, and he and Liz call me a glorified goldfish. His version of a pet name." Abe explained and I laughed, unable to picture anyone getting away with calling him a glorified goldfish.

"I'll ask next," Abe said pausing probably to think "You keep pulling your wings into your back, then letting them back out, why?" he asked and I blinked in surprise, I didn't think that one would be turning up anytime soon.

"I do that to show who I trust and who I do not." I answered ruffling my wings in a sort of shrug knowing that a secondary would be showing up very soon. "Why is that? All of the human agents are under a confidentiality contract to never speak of what they see or hear to anyone outside the BPRD." Abe asked, proving my prediction right.

I sighed, closing my eyes for a second before reopening them "It's because the fastest and easiest way to kill a full blooded tengu like me, to make sure we stay dead, is to rip out our wings. It's actually very easy to do this. Hence why our wings are out with the only the people we trust to not tear them out. Our wings are connected to our spines much differently from say our arms. You can tear off our arm, and we may live with just a handicap, but tear out even just one of our wings, you sever our spine completely. Then it's game over for us. Closed curtains, everything. No tengu has ever survived having their wings ripped out." I answered watching as they took in the large amount of information I'd just given them, part of me screamed idiot that I shouldn't have told them. Because now they know the easiest way to kill me.

"Thank you for answering, I'm guessing you didn't want to explain all of that." Abe said and I nodded in response, devising my next question quickly "Who's the telepath?" I asked and they went dead silent, looking at me in surprise, Hellboy glanced at Abe briefly, but neither said a word, just stared at me with a mix of shock and surprise on their faces.

**Cutting it off here because I don't want this chap to be too long. The poem I had Nora reading is The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, one of my favorite American authors of all time. I'll have the next chapter up soon, maybe even later today because I have to work on my other stories. R&R!**


	4. Mostly Importantly, Abe's Smiling

**Thanks to Flint and Feather for their reviews! I really appreciate your support. As for the rest of you guys, I'm not going to bite. Give me your opinions, they'll help me make the story more enjoyable for you guys. I only own Nora, anything else is NOT MINE. I DO NOT OWN HELLBOY OR ANY MUSIC MENTIONED. **

**No theme today. Okay that's my rant for now. On to the story.**

_Thought projection(Abe)_

_Thought projection(Nora)_

**Nora**

I watched the expressions flit across their faces, then laughed and smiled at them "I'm not mad, just curious." I pointed out and they relaxed visibly, particularly Abraham. "So, who's the telepath?" I pressed closing the Poe book just as Liz came in with a glass of water.

"Glorified Goldfish is."Liz answered passing me the glass which I took with a smile and downed the contents quickly, blinking as I saw them staring at me. "What?" I barked as they stared at my face, making me feel self-conscious. "F-Fangs." Liz stuttered in surprise and I pressed my hand against my teeth, confirming they were visible again.

"Well crap." I sighed and folded my arms and shifted my wings "Why?" Liz asked eyeing me with curiosity, not fear. "Why do I have fangs? Hell, even I don't know." I answered shrugging my shoulders "Just born with them. Most of the time I can keep them hidden from sight. But when I'm injured…." I trailed off and looked pointedly at the bandage around my waist, stained black with my dried blood.

"Do you need…do you need blood?" Abe asked breaking the uneasy silence that had settled on our shoulders like a dark cloud. I blinked in surprise looking Abe directly in those strange and beautiful eyes of his. Humanisque, but too slanted and large to be human, or to even pass as elven.

"Yes, eventually I will. But, don't worry, you're all safe. I can get what I need from human food alone." I answered and smiled reassuringly to calm the nerves that I could smell. Liz was the first to relax, making Hellboy relax and Abe soon followed suit. I yawned without thinking as sleep washed over me, making my mental barriers drop.

**Abe**

As Nora yawned, I felt a sensed a twitch across of her closed off mind, and saw the barriers drop like a stone. First thing I could pick up from her is panic as sleep washed over her, because her mind is open to telepaths like myself now.

An agent walked in and started to talk to Liz and Red as Nora sat down and blinked sleepily, trying to put her barriers back up no doubt. I closed my eyes and focused, trying not to startle Nora as I projected my thoughts into her mind where she could hear me.

_Nora, Nora can you hear me? It's Abe._ I projected and saw her head snap up, and her mental barrier flew up, but it didn't knock me out of her mind, it let me stay in and hear her thoughts.

_Yes, I can hear you._ Nora answered, projecting her thoughts as if she'd done so before. Considering how little I know on her past, I wouldn't be surprised if she had.

_Are Tengus nocturnal or crepuscular? _I wondered and glanced at the nearby clock, reading the time and deciding that soon enough everyone would be turning. I heard a light, birdlike piping and looked over to see Nora laughing, the source of the birdlike piping sound.

_We're both, most of us choose to be crepuscular because otherwise the humans make an ungodly din that is impossible to sleep through. Though being awake and working at night feels more natural to us. _Nora answered and the birdlike noise died down as soon as Red, Liz, and the agent glanced around looking for the source of the sound.

_Which are you? If I may ask._ I quickly added and the piping noise came from Nora again, Red had a look on his face I'd never seen before.

**Hellboy**

After I finally figured out where the hell the damn birdlike noise was coming from, I noticed that Nora was looking at Abe, and the noise is her laughing. Abe is smiling also, looking at Nora. I felt an idiotic grin stretch across my face. Abe's probably talking with Nora physically. And they're getting along better than I've ever seen Abe get along with anyone, better than he did with Nuala.

**Abe**

I eyed Red, noting the idiotic grin before looking back at Nora as the sound of her thoughts filled my head again. _I choose to be crepuscular, what about you? Day or night?_ Nora's thoughts have the same captivating quality as her voice for when she speaks aloud, beautiful, with musical, chiming notes in it far too mystifying to be human.

_Day, but sometimes from missions, well, in the past, I would be night and sleep during the day._ I answered watching the agent walk off, and Red pull Liz into his arms as she yawned sleepily. "Well, Liz and I are going to head to our room and hit the sack. You guys staying up tonight?" Red asked, his voice booming in the previously silent library.

"No, I'd like to go to sleep as well. Is there a spare room I can use for tonight?" Nora asked and Red had a look on his face that screamed mischief for a split second, then it disappeared very quickly. "Abe can take you to one of the spar rooms." Red replied, picking Liz up and carrying her bridal style out of the library, Liz is sound asleep in his arms.

I blinked as Red left, leaving Nora, a sleepy and injured tengu, a supernatural species I know absolutely nothing on, with me in the library. Alone. Strangely I felt my cheeks darken, I started to raise my hand to press it against my cheek to see how easily you could tell I'm blushing, then stopped realizing that would make it even more obvious than it already is.

"Well, I'll take you to a spare room then. There's one by the library. It's not one meant for guests, but it's not used." I explained and Nora stood and swept her hair over her shoulder in a smooth gesture and nodded her head "Thank you Abe, who's room is it really?" she asked locking her hypnotizing eyes briefly, but long enough for me to lose my train of thought.

"It's mine, but I don't really use it. I sleep in the tank" I answered and flicked my hand at the tank behind me and Nora nodded, understanding in her eyes. "I see, is it really alright for me to borrow it for the night? By tomorrow I should know exactly how long I'll need to recuperate." Nora asked running her fingers through the feathers on her left wing, putting the gold-black feathers back in order.

She pulled her hand away and a couple down feathers drifted free from her fingers, and onto the linoleum floor. I watched the feathers fall as I answered her question "It's fine, I haven't been in there since…for a long time." I answered my voice catching as I tried to distract myself from the memory of the princess, focusing on Nora instead.

Nora parted her pale pink lips to speak, but wound up yawning instead, giving me a flash of her long fangs before quickly bringing her hand up to cover her mouth.

"I'm sorry, I'm keeping you up." I apologized and Nora smiled and shook her head "No need to apologize Abe, as long as I get to bed before, say two in the morning, then no harm done to my regeneration and energy." Nora shrugged, and I could still feel her thoughts, her mental barrier is up, but it isn't blocking me, not anymore. How strange.

"I'll take you to my room, then I'll retire for the night." I promised and stood, offering Nora my hand, which she took as she slowly got to her feet, slowly stretching sleep out of her muscles, her eyes covered by a thin film of sleep.

I let go of Nora's hand once she was on her feet, and began to walk at a slow, steady pace that she could easily keep up with, turning and catching her when I heard her start to fall.

I stared into her dark eyes, conscious of how close she is to me in my arms from catching her, and her large wings, half-spread in a frozen attempt to right her balance. I blushed as she did, averting my eyes from her face and setting her back on her feet.

"Better keep you hand on my shoulder." She murmured quietly, glancing from my hand on her slim shoulder to my face "I'm likely to fall over again. Occupational hazard for when I get sleepy." She explained quickly, her face turning as bright a scarlet as Red's skin.

I blushed with her, and took her hand in mine and led her out of the library and down the hall a little ways, then turned left and opened the door that leads to behind my tank for maintenance, and also my room that I don't use anymore.

I let go of Nora's hand and she walked forward soundlessly, her long strides barely making any sound. I watched as she looked about my room, giving me time to study her.

The clothes she had come here in, are a bit strange to see. Similar to Red's choice of choice of attire, Nora has on tight fitting black pants, they cling very tightly to her legs, showing off the muscle she has, and the fabric isn't quite leather nor cotton, some cross between the two.

A soft black leather coat that looks similar to a blazer covers her arms, and hangs loosely off of her hips. The white bandage I had wrapped around her injured stomach earlier covers the patch of her pale white skin that her black corset doesn't cover. The corset is black velvet, with silvery accents. It's probably laced up the back, since there's not much on the front except a doubled loop of sliver chain that tucks into a pocket on the left side.

The most surprising thing about her attire, isn't the corset or the mysterious chain, but her shoes. They look like a cross between flats and moccasins, and are the same type of leather as her jacket. Leather shoes that lace up, if there's a sole, it's not obvious, but the intended purpose of her footwear is, agility and climbing, perhaps even running.

Nora glanced over at me, her dark gold eyes, the same color as her large wings, studied me briefly then looked away, her eyes on the spines of the books I keep in here. If you look at Nora, you can't guess her race, she told us earlier that she's from Kyoto in Japan, but has a more western European bearing than eastern.

Perhaps she's got Croatian, no, it would make more since to have British blood. And would explain the accent, not obviously English but has that ringing quality most British accents carry. Her hair is a different matter. Dark black, far darker than Liz or Red's hair, with brilliant ruby glints, as dark as red wine or Red's blood.

I studied her for a second more, and Nora looked back over at me, a bemused grin on her lips. "If you're trying to figure out my background, you're never going to guess just by looking. Asking, however, you might get somewhere." She pointed out in an amused tone of voice, making me blush.

"What's your background then? British? Croatian?" I asked and she shook her straight hair, curled slightly at the ends, and laughed "No, but you're close with Croatian. Hungarian. My mother's British though. I spent half of my life in Budapest in Hungary, then we moved to Kyoto to be closer to our family." Nora's eyes seemed to darken and narrow, as if recalling a nasty memory then pushed it away.

The shape and build of her beautiful face suddenly made sense. The high cheekbones, lower than the Italians and french by an inch, the large, ellipse shaped eyes, and the slim and petite build. Not terribly short, maybe 5'5", maybe more.

"I'll leave you to your sleep now." I said and smiled, at Nora, trying to distract myself so I wouldn't be staring and cataloging all the little details of her appearance, but as she arced her right eyebrow, I noticed the beauty mark near the center of her slim dark brow, a strange feature, but still like Nora, had this intriguing mystical beauty, of someone resembling a human, but not quite human.

"Good night Abe, I'll see you in the morning….or ten AM." Nora admitted sheepishly and swept her hair over her shoulder again and smiled as she shrugged "Good night." I replied and left my room, leaving Nora to her own devices, which I am sure she is more than capable of handling herself until the morning.

I was back in the library sooner than I expected, and sleep is beginning to assert its hold over me, making my eyes droop as I slide into my tank, relishing the feel of the cool freshwater. I swam about in the water, and caught sight of my reflection in the glass.

I'm blushing, but most importantly, I'm smiling. How long has it been since I last smiled?

**I figured it was about time to give a full description of Nora, and a bit on her past. It's really late for me as I'm typing this, and I'm getting sleepy, so I'm going to call this a wrap. Please, please send in reviews!**


	5. A Battle Between Psychics

**Thanks to Flint and Feather for their review, I'll be getting to that in this chapter. As for the rest of you, I don't bite, feel free to review. It'll take longer for a new chapter to be posted because I have a policy if there are no new reviews; I'm generally not inclined to write up a new chapter.**

**Though I often break my own rules, but still, please do review! **

**Today's theme is….I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons. Normally I can't stand any of their music, just annoys me, don't really know why. This is the only one of their songs I like.**

**I don't own **_**HELLBOY **_**or any music mentioned. My OC's are the only thing I own.**

**Nora**

I groaned and stirred on the bed, wincing almost immediately as my wounds roared in protest. _Where am I?_ I wondered blearily looking around as my vision cleared and things came into focus as scents began to bombard my nose.

The one that hit me the strongest is the mixture of peppermint, water, and a tinge of seaweed perhaps? My sleep-ridden brain immediately recognized and cataloged it as Abe. I slowly got to my feet, being mindful of my wounds, then stretched slowly, spreading out my wings and twisting to get every bunch out of my muscles, feeling a bit better as I remember the contents of the previous day, remembering that I'm here, in the BPRD, safe and sound for now.

But sooner or later I will have to leave to go back to my family. Maybe afterwards I can come back, and help out here more often.

A knock on the door startled me and made me reach for my weapon out of instinct, only to realize, it wasn't there. "Nora? Are you up yet? It's Abe." He called from the other side of the door, his voice low in case I was still asleep.

I forgot to speak for a few seconds; I was too busy listening to his voice, so beautiful, like a gently flowing river with cherry blossoms floating down its currents. "Nora?" Abe repeated, snapping me back to reality "Yes, I'm awake." I called and pulled the door open, smiling pleasantly as he stepped inside, some fabric folded up in his hands.

"Liz asked me to bring these to you. You should be about the same size. It's just a pair of jeans and a shirt." Abe explained and without thinking, I kissed his cheek as a thank you, and watched as the blue in his cheeks darkened noticeably "It's more than enough." I assured him watching with interest as he floundered about for a second as I took the fresh clothes from him, he quickly regained his composure after a few minutes and backed out of the room, _his_ room.

"I'll wait out here until you're done dressing. I can redress your wound before breakfast if you want." He said as he closed the door. I shrugged my jacket off, it landed at my feet with a muffled thump "Okay, I'll be done in a second." I answered as I reached behind my back, trying to reach the ties of my corset, but I just couldn't grab them.

I hissed in annoyance, swept my hair away from my back with one hand, and reached for the ties again, while leaning to my left, and my fingers wrapped around the sturdy cords. I grinned, pleased with my success, and tugged on the cord in my grasp, making the corset come undone and fall to my feet silently, making me shiver from the absence of the warm, soft leather that had taken so many hits for me in the past.

I reached back down, bending over carefully and picked my corset back up, studying the bottom edge closely. It's covered in large, shredded tears. Not repairable. "Dammit." Is wore and dropped it and tightened the length of dark fabric binding my breasts close to my, making sure it wouldn't come undone, then pulled on Liz's shirt.

It smells like her, the potent mixture of ashes from a fireplace, blueberries, and 'unscented' laundry soap drifting up to meet my nose. A strange combo that seems to fit with Liz's personality perfectly.

I tugged my on my latex and synthetic leggings, then stepped out of them as they became a puddle at my feet, and pulled on the dark blue jeans I'd been lent. They're just a size too big, so I pulled the cords from my corset and wrapped them around the belt loops instead, tying the jeans up so they'd rest on my hips more comfortably than before.

I glanced down at my feet, still in the leather slippers I had worn instead of my boots, and wondered idly, if there was a pair of boots I could possibly borrow, before gathering up my discarded clothing and pulling the door open.

**Liz**

I turned the corner down the hallway, just in time to see Nora emerge from Abe's room, her dark red-brown hair tangled from sleep, and already changed into the clothes I'd given to Abe so that she'd have fresh clothes when she woke up.

"Morning Nora." I greeted and waved, Nora looked up, her eyes looking about, then settled on me and she smiled and waved back "Morning Liz, thanks for the clothes." She replied and I watched as Abe shifted on his feet beside her, looking a little lost for what to do, but still happier than I'd seen him in weeks.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words I had started to say was drowned out from angry shouting up the hall, two male voices I'd long ago gotten used to hearing fighting. HB and Manning.

"Here we go again." Abe sighed along with me and we started up the hall, Nora in tow, following curiously. Sure enough, Manning and HB were having an argument, the likes of which I haven't seen since Professor Broom died.

Manning was getting up in HB's face, jabbing a finger against his bared chest every so words, only succeeding in pissing him off more than he already had. "WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP MANNING!" HB roared suddenly, and Manning flinched like a frightened mouse.

A sudden gush of air and a flash of dark hair caught my attention, I watched curiously as Nora approached the two off them, raised a hand and tapped the side of both HB and Manning's heads murmuring only six words.

"Sleep now, the both of you." She said, and just like that, they hit the ground, unconscious. I stared in shock, and then jumped forward when Nora pitched forward, but Abe got to her before me, catching her and setting her back on her feet gently.

"Steady Nora, steady." He encouraged and I watched as he held her as she swayed, whatever she just did to shut the two of them up, had obviously taken a lot out of her, probably something she shouldn't have done while she's still injured.

**Abe**

I held Nora in my arms gently, holding her steady, listening to her heartbeat as it started to even out along with Nora's near silent breathing. "That was stupid of me." She laughed as I let her go, swaying once then caught her balance and kept it, glancing at the unconscious bodies of Red and Director Manning with an amused grin on her face, she looks like she's holding back laughter.

"How so?" I asked and helped Liz and another agent pick of Red and drag him into the Library, setting him down in one of the chairs, I reached out with my mind, and saw through the eyes of another agent, as three agents struggled to carry Director Manning back to his office.

"Because that can knock me unconscious when I'm not injured, or just drains me when I do that to people." Nora answered with a shrug, shivering from a slight gust of cold air as I walked over to her, her eyes locked on mine with a sort of mix between caution and trust.

Strange how, even by brushing her mind that I can tell she wants to trust me, but there's something that darts away before I can find out what it is, that prevents her from fully letting her guard down.

"Can you please redress my wound Abe?" Nora asked quietly, her cheeks flaming slightly and I was puzzled for a second, then it occurred to me as to why. She'd have to pull her shirt up for me to redress her wound, exposing a fair bit of her skin.

"O-Of course, I'll happily help you Nora." I managed and smiled at Nora, who smiled back, not a tight lipped smile like she normally gave, but one that showed her pure white teeth, a true smile that showed actual happiness, although I have no clue as to what I did to make her smile so brightly.

Nora nodded and waited for a moment, reminding me she doesn't know her way around the BPRD like I do. I began to lead her to the med bay, making sure to check my pace so she could keep up with me easily.

**Nora**

I can't stop smiling. I don't know how or why, but I'm smiling a real smile, one I haven't worn for years, I'm pretty sure the last time I truly, actually smiled was back in Budapest, before we moved to Kyoto.

Abe seems to be a good mood as well, though I don't know why my barriers no longer block him out from my mind. The more I try, even though I know he won't search through my mind without my permission, the less my mental barriers work.

But then again, all of my abilities are currently reduced until I'm fully healed. Once my injuries are gone, they'll be back in full swing, and I'll have to go back to my family to stop them from going on a manhunt. I don't want them to shed blood unnecessarily because I'm missing. Hell, I don't even want the clans coming looking for me, regardless of my title.

"You're being very quiet, something one your mind Nora?" Abe asked quietly as he pushed a set of doors open, distracting me from the busy routes of my thoughts.

"You could say that. It's nothing though, don't worry." I assured him and sat down in the chair, and waited patiently as he began to rummage through the cupboards, taking out a couple bottles, some of the white fabric bandaging fabric, cotton balls, and surgical tape.

"What you did earlier….how did you do that?" Abe asked as he used medical scissors to carefully cut the used bandage off as I kept Liz's shirt up and away so he could properly clean and redress my injury that will take maybe one more day to disappear entirely.

"Th-at? I don't know. I've al-ways been able t-to do th-that." I answered, garbling the words slightly as I bit back hisses of pain as Abe dabbed at my wound gingerly. "Sorry, but I have to get it clean." He apologized and I nodded screwing my eyes shut tightly in an attempt to ignore the pain.

I felt something cool press gently against the surface of the wound that Sojo had given me. I opened my eyes just in time to see Abe pull his hand away. So it was his fingers I had felt. I sat up and leaned forward as he wrapped the protective bandage around my waist, then he helped me off of the chair and too my feet.

"There you go." He murmured letting my arm go as I settled the borrowed shirt over my stomach, masking the bandage and hiding it from sight. "Thanks again." I murmured and followed him out of the room, a relief to my sensitive nose, the scent of chemicals in the med bay had begun to irritate it badly while I was in there.

"Think nothing of it, I'm happy to have helped." Abe replied instantly, walking down the hallways as quietly as I did, making little to no noise until he entered the mess hall and saw Hellboy back on his feet, and arm-wrestling with a number of agents while Liz ate beside him with a blank expression on her face, but there's obvious annoyance in her blue eyes.

Hellboy slammed with human hand down on the table and the agents roared with laughter, that's when it occurred to me who exactly he was arm-wrestling with. Director Manning. And judging by the look on his face, he now has a very clear case of the sour grapes.

I chuckled and settled down at the table across from Abe, next to Liz. Before long one of the agents appeared with two plates of food for the two of us. Steak, mashed potatoes with gravy and corn for me, a salad without dressing of any kind and a lemon slice on the side for Abe.

I stared at the food in surprise, last time I'd been here, I'd chosen food from a buffet. It wasn't brought to me. But still, for human food, this I can eat. "When they start getting along?" I asked Liz between bites of the steak, it was very well cooked, practically dripping with tasty seasoned juice.

Not even my younger sister Mariah could cook this well. "When no one was looking." Liz answered after a moment's pause to watch Hellboy wrestle one of the obviously younger human male agents, Hellboy won again. An idea blossomed in the back of my head, I finished off my food quickly just as Hellboy's deep voice boomed, resonating clearly in the room.

"Anybody else got the guts to challenge me? Anybody at all?" He challenged and I stood, and walked over and sat across from him and held up my arm with my palm outstretched.

"Let's see who wins. Don't go easy on me because I'm a female and injured." I warned as he clasped my hand tightly, waiting three beats before the struggle began.

At first, I let him push my arm down, but not without a fight, then, when I got bored, I slowly began to fight him so that his arms was edging to the opposite side of the table. Sweat was sprouting on his forehead, and I blinked, acting like I could care less as I focused, then tensed up the muscles in my arm, making it seem like I was letting my arm go slack.

Hellboy took the bait, and loosened his grip slightly, but enough for me to slam his hand down against the table top with a grin. Everyone was silent for a few minutes, then the agents started whistling and making idle comments. I was too busy being entertained by the look on Hellboy's face to listen to what they're saying.

His face suddenly went blank, then a smirk stretched across his face, making me quirk my eyebrows with mild interest. "Why don't you go against her Abe?" he asked and I glanced over at him, and noted the stunned expression on his face.

"I…don't …" Abe trailed off, but let Hellboy drag him over to sit across from me, and I clasped my hand with his, trying to quickly figure out a new strategy. He's a psychic, so he can hear my thoughts. And thanks to my older brother I know how to keep out psychics, but Abe's different somehow, he can get past my barriers.

Which means that this won't be just a battle of strength, but of the mind as well. A battle between two psychics.

**Waaaay longer than normal, and I took forever to write it, I'm sorry. I'm trying to update more regularly, I swear! I'll be back soon(ish), please review, it'll get a new chapter up sooner. Scout's honor. Anyways, I'm signing off to deal with my other work and to practice my guitar since writing this chap has taken up most of my practice time. Until next time, R&R!**


	6. Go Get The Girl For Once Abe

**I'm sorry about the wait, I had schoolwork, guitar practice, and my other stories to work on. All of my readers can thank Flint and Feather for this chap being posted now instead of a few days from now. Thanks for reviewing! I will have her slip away soon, but not in this chapter…maybe. I might change my mind as I write.**

**Okay, I really hate to nag, but seriously you guys, you don't have to be afraid to send in reviews to me. It doesn't really matter what you say, as long as you send something in. I won't post a chapter unless there is ****at least one review **__**on the story. It's my policy.**

**Anyways, theme is Poker Face by Lady Gaga. I don't really know why I picked it, just did, that's all there is to it really. I do not own the characters of HELLBOY, nor any of the music mentioned. All I own is this story, Nora, and any other OCs I introduce.**

_Nora's projected thoughts_

_Flashback_

**Nora**

I waited as Abe tightened his grip on my hand, putting a bit of soft force, trying to get his hand to go down, but his arm barely moved.

So he's a lot stronger than he looks, possibly stronger than Hellboy. I pushed again, flexing the muscles in my unfurled wings, making a couple of the human agents gasp and mutter in surprise. I ignored them, keeping my gaze locked with Abe's, using every single thing I could to prevent him from reading my thoughts, and predicting what I would do next.

Abe blinked, then began to put force on my arm, I immediately tensed up my muscles, not moving an inch. I waited as he tried again, then a third time, before apply the same trick as before. I made it seem like I was letting my arm go slack.

Abe blinked, frowning slightly, but tried to force my hand down, I quickly did the same, and gained at least five inches in my favor, and grinned as three inches were left. Two and three quarters, two and a half, one and three quarters, then suddenly, Abe forced my arm to move over until he had the favor I did only seconds ago.

I narrowed my eyes and tensed every single muscle in my body, making it dead near impossible to move my arm, let alone not get a grip where my nails weren't digging into his skin. Realizing I might be causing pain, I loosened my grip slightly and fought my way back to the middle line.

A few quiet whispers ran throughout the room, everyone wants to know who will win, I don't have to be psychic to know that.

I fought to keep my arm level with the middle line, then over an inch to the winning side for me, and I did get an inch, but nothing more. I could feel sweat trickling down my forehead, only a few beads, but still enough for me to enough I was starting to over exhort myself.

**Abe**

I wasn't going easy on Nora like I probably should have been, but she's far stronger than most people I've encountered. By now, when I'm not holding back, when Red's convinced me to wrestle with him, I've already won.

Nora's really something, as my red-skinned companion would say, if she's holding her own, while still badly injured.

A beadlett of sweat trickled down her face from her furrowed brow as she forced my arm down a couple inches. I have no idea whether it's from the force she's using, or if it's because of the focus she's having to maintain to keep her thoughts jumbled to keep me out so to speak. She's doing a great job, I can't get a clear picture, but it keeps wavering, like a ripple on the surface of a dead-still pond.

A faint scent hit my nose, a cross between copper and iron. Blood. Nora must have reopened her wounds. "Are your wounds alright?" I asked and her shoulders jumped, and her feathers fluffed up, but nothing else moved.

**Nora**

It took everything not to let go of Abe's hand in surprise when he spoke. I was aware of the scent of my blood, but it hadn't registered that I'd reopened my wounds just yet. Dammit.

"For now." I answered between gritted teeth as a wave of pain hit me as I tried, again to force his hand down all the way. Just half an inch and I win. Just a little bit more…

Abe's grip tightened on me, and I watched, despite my attempts to stop him, as he forced my arm over, before finally slamming it down on the tabletop, though he did so a lot more gently than I did with Hellboy's hand.

I winced as my sore muscles complain, but smiled and shook my head as I heard the comments being thrown around the room.

"Damn Nora, you're strong. That's got to be the longest I've _ever_ seen anyone hold out on Abe." Hellboy said and clapped me on the back with his stone hand, making me wince at the unintentional blow to my wings.

"Really now." I murmured and furled and unfurled my wings, making a few feathers fall to the floor, which I saw someone pick up. I twisted around carefully to see Director Manning holding them in his hand, wearing a somber expression on his face.

"Hello everybody. Nora, someone's here to see you." Manning informed me coolly, stepping aside to let me see behind him. I looked at him curiously, then behind him my eyes immediately going as wide as saucers.

**Abe**

I watched with mild interest as Nora looked behind Director Manning, then froze, her eyes going wide as she stared at the redhead with the same deep, dark golden eyes as her, but a few tones lighter than Nora's.

"Mariah!" she cried and quickly got up, running over and hugging her, making the rest of us look around. I looked at Red, he shrugged at me and wrapped his human arm around Liz, pulling her close before murmuring into her ear.

I turned my gaze back to Nora, and saw her talking rapid fire with the girl who looks similar to her, in a language I've never heard of before. Nora glanced over after the redhead, Mariah pointed in my general direction.

"Oh, my bad. This is my baby sister, Mariah. Mariah, this is Abe." She introduced, walking over and nodding at me, then moved on to Liz and Red "And Liz and Hellboy. I'm guessing you've already met Director Manning." She spoke and Mariah nodded, her gaze narrowed and fixed on me, as if she could see something she wasn't looking forward to seeing. A brush against her mind told that she's simply curious what I am to her older sister.

"Nice to meet you, as she said, I'm the younger sister to this fool. Sorry to interrupt, but I was sent to fetch her, tengu business. I doubt any of you qualify to be…well, informed." Mariah explained as she moved her flame-red hair out of her eyes, and pursed her lips.

Mariah and Nora both have the musical quality to their voices, only Nora's is pleasant to listen to, and Mariah's is pretty enough, but has a harsh sarcastic undertone to it. Making her sound sickly sweet, as if underneath there's nothing she'd like more than to never have even learned our names, let alone see us.

_I apologize for her behavior. She's a bit…hostile to new people. She's nice underneath, I promise._ Nora's thoughts breezed into my head, I looked up from my unfinished salad to find Nora looking directly into my eyes. I nodded and she turned back to her sister.

**Nora**

It took everything I had not to be infuriated with Mariah. For once, I know her behavior is completely intentional. Deliberately looking down on them, all because I'm with them, and because she can sense and manipulate emotions, she can tell I was having fun with them only moments before.

I sighed silently, and looked directly into Abe's eyes as Mariah started to Director Manning._ I apologize for her behavior. She's a bit….hostile to new people. She's nice underneath, I promise._ I waited, hating the partial lie I had tacked onto the end for Abe to look up and acknowledge that he'd heard me.

Once her did, I smiled, but he was already looking back down at his salad, so I turned to Mariah, narrowing my eyes as I noticed the smirk on her face. Something in the back of my mind screamed that I'd forgotten something, but I couldn't figure out what exactly.

"C'mon Nora, let's go home. We have to get you back in time for the wedding." Mariah said, adding venom to the last of her words, glancing behind me at Abe. I narrowed my eyes further at my little sister, truly despising her at this very moment for her atrocious behavior.

_Mariah!_ I shouted mentally at her, lifting my chin with grim satisfaction as I saw her shoulders jump slightly. _You do not need to be so venomous. Particularly to Abe, he's the one that saved my life. Had they left me, I would have died from the wound Sojo, the traitor gave me._ I explained, my brows furrowed in slight anger as I struggled to control it, watching her jump in surprise, then part her lips, staying frozen before finally speaking.

"T-They saved you?" she stuttered glancing at them, and I nodded, trying my best to distract myself from the lingering, plaguing thoughts of the wedding. The forced marriage. _My_ forced marriage.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for looking after my sister for me." She bowed and I smiled as they nodded, accepting her apology. Mariah straightened up and looked me in the eyes, before casting her eyes down, then back up "We should go sister, you're late enough as it is. Father will be furious if you keep Dagami waiting any longer." She said and I sighed, hating to admit to myself that she's right, and let her begin to lead me away.

"See you guys soon." I called over my shoulder before slipping into the hallway, noting the strange expression on Abe's face before the heavy steel door shut behind me.

**Abe**

I blinked in surprise, trying to understand the rapid-fire of information I'd just gotten from Mariah's scattered thoughts. I know one thing though, Nora and Mariah's father arranged a marriage to end something, agreed to marry his daughter to Dagami, the clan head. But Mariah's thoughts never said who, she was just fretting over how late they already were.

"You okay Abe? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Liz called, bringing me back to earth, I blinked and glanced over, seeing the twin worried expressions on she and Red's faces. I shook my head, and began to brush the dark, lingering emotion that I couldn't get rid off no matter how hard I tried.

"No, it's nothing. Please excuse me, I must retire to the library." I blurted and left the room quickly, just as Liz called after me worriedly, but I didn't answer. I could still sense Nora and Mariah's presence on the BPRD grounds, they're yet to leave. From Mariah's eyes it looks like they're getting into a black Cadillac with darkened windows.

I sighed and retreated from her consciousness, reviewing the memory fragment I'd gotten from Mariah in the short window I had before her consciousness slipped off of the property. It's in her eyes, it's a bit disorienting to review the memories of others from their point of view, it's taxing, but I have to view this memory closely, see just whose wedding it is they're rushing too.

I don't know why it matters so much, it just seems that if the wedding's Nora's….then something bad will happen to me. I don't know what or why though. I closed my eyes and forced myself to view the memory fragment, in Mariah's eyes.

_I ran through the house, peering into every open room, even the closed ones, trying to find Nora. Her scent's strewn everywhere in this wing of the mansion, so I have to find her the old-fashioned way._

_I peer into another room, and find her, her back to me, with her long red-black hair down, covering some of her massive gold-black wings. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you." I cried and she swiveled around to face me, her dark gold eyes unreadable, her expression blank, nor is Nora emitting any emotion whatsoever._

"_Nora?" I asked worried, and she smiled sadly, as she got to her feet, swaying when she stood. "It's okay Mariah. I trust that you too got the news from Father?" she questioned and I nodded, swallowing despite the lump in my throat, watching my sister as she sighed and opened her arms, letting me run into them, and stroked my hair as I cried into her chest._

"_Shh, shh. It's okay Mariah, it's okay. I'm fine. I've subjected myself to my fate. I will marry Dagami, to appease the Usui clan because Sojo killed Sagami." She murmured and I cried harder, not telling her the vision Mother had told me, but I glanced up and saw the frown on my sister's stunning features._

"_What aren't you telling me Mari?" she sighed and I flinched guiltily, and spoke after seeing the intense expression on her face. "Nora, Mother had a vision. Brother, Sojo, will go mad, he'll go on a killing rampage. Father will send you after him, to kill him. You'll succeed, but will be injured badly. You're going to meet a blue man, and it is he that will put a stop to the marriage. Your marriage. He'll put a stop to it, and convince everyone that what is going on is madness. They listen, and you don't marry Dagami." I explained quickly, and Nora frowned, as I did too. _

_Sojo is considered a soft traitor right now, but for him to be called a traitor in full respects…..is almost unthinkable._

"_What else Mari? I know you found something else out from Mother." Nora asked, hope and light in her eyes for the first time in weeks._

"_The blue man, he is sad, but you help him get over the sadness. You….you love him." I answered and Nora sighed again, and nudged me out the door. "Go along Mari, I need some time to think."_

I blinked in surprise as the full effects of the memory, and seeing from my own eyes hit me. I stop Nora's marriage? But how?

"Abe?" Liz called, getting my attention quickly. I turned and saw her standing, holding Nora's sword, and clothes in her hands. I stared at Liz, not quite sure what she wanted, or what she was doing with Nora's possessions that she'd left behind by pure accident.

"Can you get these back to Nora? I'm sure she's missing them. HB can probably find her." Liz asked and I nodded my head, taking Nora's things from her carefully, as if they were a newborn child.

"Abe, go stop that wedding if you can. I overheard Mariah and Director Manning talking while you guys were planning. There's a prophecy, no a vision-"I know." I interrupted and saw the look of surprise flit across her face for me doing so.

I'm not that surprised by her reaction, I rarely interrupt anyone. "I saw one of Mariah's memories. I know part of the story. Sojo, who Nora killed, he's their brother. It was foretold by their mother that he'd go mad, and start killing mercilessly. Her father sent Nora to put an end to Sojo, and sustained a almost fatal wound. She was to meet a blue man. Said man is prophesized to stop her wedding to Dagami." I explained what I had seen, placing my hand on her arm to show her the rest.

Liz closed her eyes and watched what I had to show her, then opened her eyes, intelligence glinting in them, intelligence beyond her normal level. I'd only ever seen it used _against_ Red.

"You'd better go then. Go save Nora. There's something there you didn't see Abe, but Mariah knew. Then again, only someone female would have picked up on it. Dagami will have Nora killed once they're married." Liz said in a flat tone, emphasizing her point and making me wonder how she noticed it, and I didn't. Considering I saw it from _Mariah's_ perspective that should have been enough for me too notice.

"Again, only a woman could have understood that. Go get her Abe, go get the girl for once." Liz encouraged and I nodded my head. I grabbed my gear, pulled it on, and hurried out the door only to be stopped by Red.

"If you're going to go do something stupid, I've gotta be there to cover your ass. Your turn to be me, my turn to be you. Gotcha?" Red explained and I nodded my head again, and walked with my brother-in-crime so to speak, going to go do something I'd never would have guessed I would do.

Red, maybe. I could see him doing something like this, over and over again. But myself? No, I never would have guessed.

**A bit longer than normal, but I felt that I needed to put a plot twist in. Next chapter will be up soon. I've got a great idea for something Hellboy to do at the wedding. *grins evilly* May or may not be a brawl….haven't really decided yet. Eh, anyways, please review. Sooner I find a reviewer, the sooner I write up the next chapter.**


	7. Saving Nora

**Thanks so much for your reviews. ****Flint and Feather****, you are the top reviewer, so I'll respond to your review first. English is my first language, but I'm learning Spanish in high school. I know fragments of other languages as well. Manning didn't order Liz to convince Abe to go after Nora as a mission from the BPRD, the rescue is completely by personal choice. As for the wedding location, it's going to be **_**very**_** different, and hard to find.**

**Nezza-KingOfTheDead: ****Thanks, I'll try to keep it interesting for you. As well as update more often.**

**Okay, theme is Castle Walls by Christina Aguilera, the solo version. Don't really know why I picked it, I guess because of what I'm going to write for the wedding location.**

**I don't own **_**HELLBOY**_**, or any music mentioned (themes, snippets mentioned, etcetera, etcetera). I do own my OC's and the story itself. **

**Nora**

I stared out the colored glass window as Mariah and Lea tied the back of m y wedding dress, a sort of yukata that has no name in our language. It's just generally called a wedding yukata.

"Nora? Are you okay? Did we tie it too tight for you?" Lea pestered, her bright blue eyes peering into mine, distracting me from my thoughts as she moved away a strand of her light blonde hair. "No, it's fine Lea, thank you." I answered tiredly, wishing that I wasn't here.

I don't really have a hope of being taken back to BPRD by Abe or Red; we're in the tengu city underground. We can't be found by outsiders, they have to be brought to here. But….maybe if they talked to the old woman, the white centaur Hailliea, they could find their way here if they could convince Hailliea to show them the way.

But how would they know to find Haillea? She's not well known, despite her wishes shop in the troll market being one of the most successful of the entire market, just about no one knows who Haillea is.

"Nora, it's time to go." Mariah told me quietly as Lea turned to speak with Mother. I raised my eyes from my white slippered feet to the mirror, staring at the unfamiliar woman that looked back at me.

She's fairly tall, with golden eyes and red, black-brown straight hair pulled up into an elaborate twist that's covered in tiny fairy braids that have been decorate with small flowers. The pins to hold her hair in place are two wooden pieces that have two trails of sakura and plum blossoms hanging off of them.

She's pale skinned, her paleness has been emphasized by a white powder that covers her entire face, and neck, but her ears aren't painted. Pale pink rouge has been put on her high cheekbones; her lips have been painted a bright, bloody red. Two lines of pale pink and a deep violet have been drawn across the lid of her eyes, and her lashes have been thickened and darkened as well.

Her dress, the traditional wedding yukata used by not only tengus, but by high elves as well, is a pure white, with a black belt and purple-pink sash to hold it closed. There's a faint pattern of cherry blossoms on the shoulders of her dress, along the bottom of the hem as well. A white wood and black fabric fan has been tucked into the belt, the end sticking out near her left hip.

The shoes that can just barely be seen from under her dress, a white satin slippers. No height to them, to represent purity.

"You look beautiful Nora." Mother praised and took my hand, leading me away from the mirror and made me open the fan and use it to cover the lower half of my face. "For the Great One's sake Nora, smile and let you wings out. They're your best feature." She urged and knowing that I have no choice, I do as she asks and let my wings unfurl from my back, and furled them against the soft fabric of the dress.

It's too soft and slippery, as if at any second it will slip off my body and leave me as bare as a newborn child of just about any species.

I walked with Mother, my free hand in her grasp as the music started at the sight of me, Mother let go of my hand, and passed me off to Father, he too held my hand gingerly like most dancers do with their partner's hands during a waltz.

"Thank you Nora, my dearest daughter. Be brave." Father whispered in my ear, the familiar rumbling sound did nothing to soothe my nerves though. I fear Dagami, not being married. I don't want to be here. I just hope that someone, anyone stops this wedding soon.

**Abe**

"We've been walking in circles in this market for hours Red, if the tengu city is anywhere near here, we would have found it by now." I remarked sadly as we stepped into a rundown shop that bustling full of people. So despite its destroyed appearance, the shop still lives.

"You two young things looking for the tengu city?" An old, wizened voice called out in the din of the shop. I looked around until I found the face of an old woman, curled up behind the cash desk with a blanket wrapped all around her, but her long hair, was the purest white I've ever seen. It looked out of place on someone so very clearly so old.

"Yes Ma'am, we are." I answered and the woman laughed and beckoned us forward, towards her. "Alright, my name be Haillea. I am the keeper of this shop and I knows the way, but why should I helps you?" Haillea questioned quirking a silvery bow and grinning, displaying yellowing teeth.

"Because we're trying to save a friend of ours, she's a tengu that was brought back by her sister for a wedding."I explained keeping an eye on Red as he perused the shop, reading the prices for different wishes and potions.

"What be her name Child? And ye own names as well." Haillea asked, her blue eyes flicking about, the color dimmed by cataracts. "She is Nora Brown, I am Abraham Sapien, and my friend over there is Hellboy." I answered and Haillea cocked her head to the side, recognition glinting in her old damaged eyes.

"So, you're off to save the princess are ya? That makes ya the blue man." Haillea commented, her English mixing in with more ancient English as she spoke, but it didn't disrupt the messages she was trying to convey.

"Yes, I'm trying to save Nora." I answered hoping she knew the way and could take us there. "Good, good. Before I agree to help ya, you must answer a few questions." Haillea warned as she got to her feet, the dark ragged blanket fell away to reveal the body of a white horse, but the fur was just as aged as Haillea herself.

Which, I suppose makes sense considering she's old. And the oldest centaur I've ever seen.

"Alright, what do you wish to know?" I asked and Haillea clopped over to me, passing me three blue pearls that glowed faintly every now and then. Haillea led me towards the back of the shop, and Red followed close behind.

"Those pearls in your hand child, are something you might have to use to escape later." Haillea explained and I nodded, tucking the pearls away for safe-keeping inside my pocket. Haillea sat down at a table, we quickly followed suit as she brought her shawl closer around herself.

"Now, my first question is thusly, why are ya trying to save Nora from a city that is governed by her parents and herself?" Haillea asked and I frowned for a split second to devise an answer that would be acceptable.

"We're not trying to save her from the city, but from her husband-to-be Dagami, he plans to kill her Lady Haillea." I answered and Haillea smiled and nodded, pleased with my answer. Red sat down with his back to mine, and stared cleaning his gun, very clearly bored.

"Alright, second question, how did you come by this information?" She said and I immediately answered "Her younger sister Mariah. I believe she knew that I am a telepath, so she deliberately let me see a memory that explained. It was my friend Liz, who saw what Mariah was trying to tell me." I replied and Haillea's eyes went wide for a second, and then went back to being narrowed slightly.

"Alright, good, very good. You answers have been good child, but to my last question, you must answer very carefully. Else I shall not help you." She warned and I dipped my head and waited for her final question, hoping that I can answer it to her full satisfaction.

**Nora**

The wedding's nearly complete. Father has 'given' me away to Dagami. Now all that's left is to exchange marks to claim the other as our own eternally, then our vows, and finally, drink the wine.

"Please hurry Abe." I whispered too low for anyone to hear, hoping even though I have no proof that he will come, that he'll come and take me away from Dagami, he's more cruel and merciless than Sojo was when he went mad.

"Is the father of the pure bride pleased with what the groom has to offer her?" the reverend, Atticus asked, his voice booming throughout the building. I couldn't stop a tear from trickling down my face, but the fan hid it from view.

Please someone come take me away.

**Abe**

"Do ya love and trust Nora, despite how little time you've known her?" Haillea asked looking me straight into the eyes, her old fingers crashing my hands slightly. I thought on her question, trying hard to think to give her an answer, but I couldn't really find the words.

"Choose you answer quickly Child, time waits for no one." Haillea urged and I opened my eyes, ready with my answer.

"Yes, I love Nora. Despite that I've known her for but a day, I love her Lady Haillea. I trust her more than I will anyone else ever again should I lose her. Lady Haillea, I need you to take us to the tengu city so I can save her. I need to save her Haillea. I do not know what I shall do if I lose her." I answered and gripped her hands, begging her and she smiled, and the years seemed to melt of her face until she looked young again.

"Very good Abraham. I am the Wish Mare, and I shall give you your wish." Haillea promised, and opened a door and started to turn the dials according to the glyphs and runes of the surface of the strange device.

"Weren't you just old as hell a second ago?" Red questioned and Haillea laughed, a light tinkling sound "Yes, I was. When I first started this shop I once angered an elf prince, he put a curse on me that I would be a crone unless I was in the company of someone pure and true in their intentions. So when Abraham spoke the truth about his love, it allowed me to be young again, and therefore work the portal to their city so you two can save her." She explained and the device swung open to reveal a wall of water.

"That is the portal. Focus on Nora and you'll both be taken to her. Make sure you do not get distracted, else you could wind up in limbo." She warned and stepped aside so we could access the portal.

I walked forward and brushed the surface of the portal. I felt nothing, and my fingers had nothing on them when I pulled my hand back.

"Go, now." Halliea urged and I did as she asked, and I jumped into the portal, Nora fixed in my mind.

**Nora**

"If anyone has a reason for these two not to be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace." The pastor bellowed and I looked around hopefully, but everything was dead silent.

"Alright, now do you take-"Wait!" A voice shouted and everyone looked towards the back of the church, Abe was standing at the entrance to the reception, one hand outstretched.

I smiled and dropped the fan from my face, but froze when Dagami roared loudly "What is the meaning of this? Who are you and what do you want?" I looked from Dagami's angry form, his wings shaking from the palpable anger flowing from him, to Abe, and his relaxed posture and soft smile.

"I am Abraham Sapien, a pleasure to meet you. What I want is for Nora to not be wed to you. More specifically, I want Nora." Abe answered and everyone went into an uproar, half of Dagami's family tried to restrain him, and father tried to stop me as I happily ran to Abe's side, breathing in his scent as I ran away, Dagami hot on my heels.

I ran into Abe's arms, he hugged me tightly and I smiled, weeping happily, for he had come. "Bless the Wish Mare, you came." I whispered happily only to cry out in pain as Dagami twisted my wing and ripped me out of Abe's arms.

"Stay away from this….this intruder Nora." Dagami hissed in my ear, digging his fingers into my wing, making me wince from the pain.

"Hey, buddy. If I were you, I'd let go of her." Hellboy boomed and I twisted my head to see him placing his gun against Dagami's right temple. Dagami let me go, and I fell to my knees, and slowly tried to spread my wing. It didn't work, and my wing screamed with pain.

I closed my eyes and whimpered quietly in pain, opening my eyes when I felt a cool hand pressing against my wing. It's Abe. "Shhhh, Nora, it's alright. Let me see." He whispered as Dagami yelled at Hellboy, who yelled back, the gun, The Samitarian, is still pressed against Dagami's temple.

I relaxed and let Abe pull away my feathers to bind my wing, and Father's guards started pouring out of the woodwork as Dagami drew his sword, sliced Hellboy's arm, and ripped me away from Abe once more, the blade pressed against my throat.

I stared fearfully at the blade, and looked to Abe and Hellboy for help, then noticed someone I hadn't seen in years approach from behind them.

"Dagami Usui! Lay down your arms immediately." The figure boomed, stepping into the light. "Grandfather." I whispered and the yelped as I felt the butt of Dagami's sword connect with the back of my skull. All went black.

**And that's a wrap for today. Next chap will have….something you guys are hopefully going to find interesting if you liked this chap…..kind of feel like I screwed up somewhere along the way. Here's an explanation to Haillea.**

**Haillea (Hey-li-lea) is the owner of a shop that sells wishes in the troll market. She's a centaur that was cursed by an elven prince to be a crone unless she is in the company of someone pure of intention.**

**She's the Wish Mare (something I've created), and can the grant the wish of anyone she chooses. To the tengus, she is like a god, but it would be more accurate to say that she's their high priestess.**

**Haillea is the guardian of the door to the tengu city, the portal is the door. So in order to get into the city if you're an outsider(not a tengu), you have to find the Wish Mare.**

**She'll be appearing again later in the story. Okay, please, please review. **


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